Dr Clifford Mann, president of the College of Emergency Medicine, said that those with 50 or more visits tended to have mental health or other significant social problems. They often attended A&E in search of warmth, “a cup of tea” and a friendly face, he said, and were less of a burden on staff.

A bigger problem was caused by those using A&E as an alternative to GPs and who required assessment before being confirmed as non-emergency cases. Dr Mann said that campaigns to deter such patients from attending A&E had been a “dismal failure” and new primary care centres should be set up alongside emergency departments.